The Caterham Railway

All material is copyright of Christopher Parker or their credited owners - 2022

When the line opened in 1856 this station was called Coulsdon, which led to much confusion to alighting passengers. Thankfully the name was changed to Kenley within three months.

At this time the station was different to how we see it now. The original station building was what many of us know as the Station Master’s house. It was designed by the architect Richard Whittall, who also designed a similar station building at Caterham. The door within the front porch was the main entrance into the ticket office and waiting room. The two extensions behind the main building were built in about 1873, with toilet facilities accessed from outside. The railway line was only single track, with the platform being shorter. You can walk along Platform 1 today and look across to Platform 2 where you’ll see the change in brick design on the face of the platform. The road bridge was also thinner, which you can tell by looking at the arch from the platform.

In 1899 the line was made to have double track, the bridge was widened, Platform 2 (as we know it today) was lengthened, footbridge built, Platform 1 created, station building built (among other small buildings), and a lovely wooden shelter was built next to the Station Masters house. This was disused from the 1990’s and destroyed by Connex in about 2003. A great shame in my opinion, and could have been rescued.

Kenley

The sidings left the branch line and followed behind Platform 2, turning into three sidings. Two sets of flats and the station car park are now on this site, with only one gate post currently remaining in place as evidence. The other gate post survives in the extended garden of the old Station Masters house - now a private residence since 2007, and a nursery for a short period before that.

The signal box was decommissioned on the 11th June 1961. The concrete base of the signal box still exists, with impressions showing where the point/signal rods exited facing the track, and the door to the point/signal rods room.